The Bridge at Andau is a nonfiction book chronicling the events of the Hungarian Revolution in 1956. The book, highly acclaimed for its symbolism, changes the names of many character, which are based on real people.
The story starts in the 1950's, telling how refugees from Hungary crossed the Bridge at Andau to seek safety from battle. Continuing on, the work explains how devastating the effects of the war were on all people, from men to women to children, as it broke apart families and alliances.
A notable feature of the book is the fact that it shows Hungary both before and after the Revolution. Secret police are much more common after the Revolution occurs, and ordinary citizens begin taking sides, polarizing the members of the community.
In Budapest, the author explores the terrifying events where young people, mostly unarmed, had to fight Soviet tanks. For a short while, the Soviets retreated, and the people of the community thought they had earned freedom. However, the Soviets came back, and spread havoc throughout Budapest.
